Teddy: The Soft Hero

Illustrated by Lyle Daniel & Kamika Perry

In his most recent creative explorations, Lyle Daniel introduced something unexpected: a small bear named Teddy.


Those who knew Lyle's art know he was forever evolving it--always reworking lines, adjusting expressions, never quite feeling "ready" to release his creations to the world. His comics carried recurring themes and symbols, from the sheep in Raisin' Up to subtle strokes that revealed his meticulous heart.


The Sheep first appeared through the character "Dee," who longed for a part in the biblical plays. When Dee was finally cast as a sheep in the nativity, he discovered there was no sheep in the scene! So he hatched a plan to "disrupt" the play. That sheep, in truth, was Lyle's own biblical perspectives coming to life--always questioning the script, stirring in humor, and, while seeming disruptive, really just offering a fresh perspective.


But Teddy was different. Teddy wasn't just a character in a play--he was Lyle himself. In the language of comics, Teddy was a "chibi"--a Japanese word for small. Lyle's chibi is a gentle, simplified form that speaks to the unguarded thoughts of its creator. Where once Lyle's chibi had been the sheep, now it was a bear.


Not fierce, not "disruptive"-but tender, protective, vulnerable. A mirror of Lyle at his core: a big-hearted soul who guarded his softness like a superhero guards the city at night.


Though born in a hospital room, rather than representing illness, Teddy is all about essence--about creating a symbol of the self Lyle cherished most, the self he wanted to shield, to honor, and to finally bring into the light. Teddy became the vehicle that moved Lyle beyond the shadow of illness into the purest reflection of his own truth.




[Contributed by Kamika Perry - Lyle's Illustration Partner, 2010-Present]

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